Low-Carb, Gluten-Free PIZZA

My mom has got us both on this Low-Carb diet; I've been craving pizza's like it's no ones business. 

I was really worried that this was going to be nasty.....

BUT it was probably some of the yummiest crust....no ranch needed!

And it gives directions for one pizza...

If you are feeding more than yourself, I would suggest making a few...

This was my inspiration

http://www.eat-drink-smile.com/2011/04/cauliflower-crust-pizza.html

You'll Need:

1 cup cooked, riced cauliflower
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1 egg, beaten
1 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp crushed garlic
1/2 tsp garlic salt
olive oil (optional)

pizza sauce, shredded cheese and your choice of toppings*

Cut parts of a Cauliflower into flowerets and put into a food processor 

Do this until it looks like "grain"

Stick the "processed" cauliflower in the microwave for 8 minutes

Meanwhile, while the stuff is cooking in the microwave,

beat the egg, mix in the mozzarella and dried oregano 

Mix in the Cauliflower

*Preheat the oven to 450*

Then add the remaining ingredients

Now mush the "crust" onto a pan...

I forgot to spray butter onto the pan...

I would suggest using tinfoil underneath 

Cook for 15 minutes

Now take it out, add pizza sauce and your favorite toppings

Bake until the cheese is melted

WALA!!! SO GOOD!!!

As always, Enjoy :))

Hollandaise Sauce

This stuff is perfect for Asparagus, Artichokes, and just about all other green things that taste good!

It's simple to make, low-carb, and gluten free

But be careful not to burn it!

You'll Need:

3 Egg yolks

2 Tablespoons Lemon Juice

1/4 teaspoon salt

Dash of Cayenne Pepper (optional)

1/2 cup margarine or butter

2 small bowls (microwavable)

Makes 2/3 cup, enough for a family of four for one dinner

So first, you need to separate the yolks from the whites

Add yolks, lemon juice, salt, and cayenne in bowl 1

Mix together with a wire whisk

(I have a "milk frother" which works wonders for this sauce)

Then melt the stick of butter in bowl 2

Blend egg yolk mixture into butter with the wire whisk

Mix really well

Now here is the part you want to be careful on. Do not burn your sauce in this step.

Microwave on MEDIUM heat (power level 50%) until thickened. 

Stick it in the microwave for 30 seconds, stir

Microwave for another 30 seconds, stir

Serve.

It is delicious and tops off the perfect meal

This cookbook (which if you ever find one in a store please inform me) was used in this process!

It's super old and has lots of yummy things inside!!!!

Stuffed Eggplants

Every week or so my mom gets what are called Bountiful Baskets. These things are amazing!!! The farmers give us a variety of fruits and vegetables, even if you have no use or idea what to do with them. 

The last basket, we were given an eggplant. Great.

As I was looking through one of my mom's new cookbooks, I found this yummy recipe called

 Dinah's Pizza Stuffed Eggplants

but it should really just be called Stuffed Eggplants. 

It doesn't really taste like pizza; just yummy eggplants will lots of filling. 

THIS IS LOW CARB AND GLUTEN FREE

You'll Need:

An eggplant

2 sausage links (we like asiago)

some onion

A glove of garlic, minced

A green bell pepper, diced

1 cup of sliced mushrooms

1 (15-ounce) can of tomato sauce or pizza sauce

A dash of italian seasoning

2 cups of whatever cheese ya got

First you'll want to cut the ends off, then all but about 1/2 inch of eggplant.

Make it look like a boat, just like above. 

To cut it, first put a slit about a 1/2 inch from the sides

Then slowly start to connect the two slits 

Start pulling it up as you cut the whole thing

Dice the inside part of the eggplant

Cut your onions into a skillet

Add the sausage

And green peppers!

Then add the diced eggplant and mushrooms

Cook for 3 minutes

Add a layer of cheese to the inside of the boats

Now add the pizza sauce

simmer for 5 minutes 

Now add the mixture to your boats! & top with a good heaping of cheese!

Bake in the oven at 350* for 30 minutes

This is that yummy cookbook! It has tons of yummy recipes!!!

Finished product!

What a perfect lunch!!! 

As Always, Enjoy!

MARGARITAS!!!

We made these for our Cinco De Mayo celebration, but I wanted them again so here we are!!!

Of course I don't drink or do drugs, so mine are Virgin Drinks!!! 

 Step one: Put about 3 handfulls of ice, a good amount of margarita mix, and your fruit (you can use frozen or fresh, whichever you have). Use however much fruit as flavor you want!!! 

 My favorite is Peach&Strawberry, but mom wanted regular ones!

 In this we used apricots (which if you ask siri about apricots, she calls them copper cocks) Me and mom laughed at that!

 This is the margarita mix we used. You can find it at TJmaxx for $3.99

Use whatever kind you like; this stuff is affordable and tastes as good as the $12 stuff in grocery stores

 Blend until all the ice is gone! (and at this point you need to add alcohol too if you wish)

And Wa-La! You've got margaritas!

It's like a delicious smoothie!

Remember, the only difference between a margarita and a daiquiri is the alcohol used, so if you're serving virgin drinks, tell your guests or girlfriends it's whichever one you guys like better!

As always, enjoy!

Eating out & other tips

I haven't blogged in a while, but take into consideration that I am a full-time college student, I work part-time, and I am involved in a million on-campus clubs and organizations (like preventing drug&alcohol use, Alpha Gamma Delta, etc.). My dearest apologies. With this, I haven't had much time to cook and take pictures of all this, but I have been eating out a lot. Some may say this is really bad, but there is times in everyones lives, when cooking and buying food is just not an option. I moved home and didn't have a place to store food, so I refused to go to the grocery store, thus my eating out adventures. It can be somewhat healthy if you try really hard, but during finals, I was way past eating healthy. Also, when you're first starting your gluten free diet, fast-food can be one of those things you really miss. With our American lifestyle, quick, cheap and easy is what everyone wants, even if you're dining with a dietary restriction.

These are not in any order, just enjoy and have a happy fast-food experience!


THE KEY TO EATING OUT GLUTEN-FREE IS TO ASK EACH PERSON WHO WILL COME IN CONTACT WITH YOUR FOOD TO CHANGE THEIR GLOVES and LET THEM KNOW YOU HAVE A GLUTEN SPECIFIC ALLERGY!!! 


Also, make sure they aren't using the same mayo that they used on the last guy's hamburger, because cross-contamination will just about kill you. 

1. Five Guys. Everything on their menu is gluten free. Ask for your burger, or whatever you want, to be lettuce wrapped; It's messy, but it's delicious, fast and cheap. The only thing you CANNOT eat at Five Guys: Burgers and Fries is there fry sauce, malt vinegar, and buns. For some weird reason they put something in their fry sauce that is deathly; even if you ask if it's okay and someone tells you it is, IT ISN'T! Me and my mom were told it was fine, until I was in the new Boise location and an employee with a gluten allergy warned me! If you want fry sauce, like all good fry lovers do, ask for a side of mayo, and not the stuff they put on the buns, tell them to get it from the back. You're not being a pain, it's their job. And no worries about their fries, the regular and the cajun fries are safe. 
2. Red-Robin. YUM! This place knows what allergies are all about! Ask for a gluten free menu up front and you'll be able to start looking as soon as you're seated! They give you this hideous binder, but I'd rather have a binder than guess. Let your waiter know and they'll make sure your experience is as sufficient as the rest of the groups. Managers are required to bring out any dish that is marked with an allergy on their system (this way you know that they are being careful with cross-contamination and stuff). All their burgers can be lettuce-wrapped, but now they offer Udi's Buns for only $1 more (I think additional costs for GF is ridiculous, but I'll take it). This makes me feel as regular as possible, plus the feeling of a bun on your burger is a whole new level of satisfaction. They also have fries!!!! They fry them in a separate fryer, so they are 100% safe! 
3. Domino's Pizza. This place I've only tried once, and it is not for people who are really, really allergic to gluten. I would not advise my mother to eat here, but I'm just fine, as my allergy isn't quite as strong yet. They have gluten free crusts, and it's fast, but it is prepared in a kitchen where all other pizzas are made. They even have a disclaimer on their site as you choose the GF crust selection from ordering online. All-in-all, it's good, and you don't feel left out when your friends order pizza to the library in a cram-sesh for finals!
4. Costa Vida! This one gets an exclamation point! This is my new favorite gluten-free restaurant. I refuse to eat mexican style foods, but this place has earned a spot in my book. Everything on their menu is gluten free except two desserts and their ranch. http://costavida.net/ They have a nationally recognized GF organization backing them up; you can't ask for much better. It used to be Bajio. And this place was very scary for allergies, but they've cleaned it up and really improved it to a miracle. They even have CostaCards. When you make a purchase, they give you a percentage of that purchase back onto your card and you can buy your next meal with that money. It's like a subway card, but they give you a lot more back. I frequent this place at least twice a week.
5. Carl's Jr. This place can be a little spendy, but all the regular items are that way too. The Low-Carb burger is about the only thing you can eat, but man is it satisfying and delicious. Just explain to your cashier that you need them to change your gloves and watch that he/she tells the cook (they don't have a button on their PointOfSales for it). Also, you can usually eat the fries & the fry sauce. Just double check to make sure they use the fryer for only fries, as some franchises do and some don't. I also like their Turkey burgers wrapped in lettuce, just remember, NO Teriyaki. 

These are my five favorite places to frequent as a GF college student on a budget. I know Red Robin isn't technically fast food, but they have great meals and I always have leftovers. Plus the fact that they are so helpful, I just couldn't resist adding them to my list. There are oodles of other restaurants that have GF choices, but they just didn't make the cut. 

Maybe that will be a future blog post: Other restaurants that serve GF. 

If you have any questions or other tips and places, please feel free to comment below and help others out!

As Always, enjoy.